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By InsideHoops.com

Prior to the start of the November 19th Lakers @ Knicks matchup, over 40 media members were gathered in the tiny visiting team's locker room of Madison Square Garden, waiting for Kobe Bryant as well as any other Laker willing to talk before the game, something that often isn't done by star players. It was a circus atmosphere, and InsideHoop.com brings you this exclusive behind-the-scenes report. Note that we aren't even going to transcribe Rick Fox's actual interview, because although it was solid, the overall scene was far more interesting.

6pm ET: In the Lakers locker room before the game there are at least 40 media members and only a handful of Lakers players. Devean George, Derek Fisher and Luke Walton are the only names of note. The future hall-of-famers - Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone and Gary Payton - are all getting dressed back in the training room, where the media is not allowed.

A few minutes later: Walton leaves.

A few minutes later: Fisher and George leave.

Around 6:07pm ET: Bryon Russell peeks his head out of the training room and announces (jokingly) to the giant collection of media members that "It'll just be about 45 more minutes until he (Kobe Bryant) comes out."

Around 6:10pm ET: Russell again pokes his head out, to jokingly announce to the media something to the effect of "Here he is, here's... Luke!" Yes, folks, he was again kidding. While Walton is a nice kid, the media hoard wasn't there for him.

Around 6:15pm ET: It's announced that Phil Jackson is going to do an interview right now in the interview room (a separate room, not the locker room). About 75% of the media leave to go be a part of that.

Around 6:25pm ET: Only five or ten minutes till Kobe Bryant will do an interview. All the media that went to talk to Jackson have returned to the Lakers locker room to wait for Kobe.

Around 6:28pm ET: Bryon Russell pokes his head out yet again and tells the media something to the effect of, "Okay, I got it down to 35 minutes. Someone will be out to talk to you in 35 minutes."

Around 6:30pm ET: Rick Fox sticks his head out of the trainer's room, looks back and forth at everyone with a playful, mysterious smirk on his face, doesn't say a word, and then pulls his head back in and shut the door.

A few minutes later: Rick Fox comes out and does a pregame interview.

Now, the scenario is this: Fox is standing in the corner of the locker room. Media are huddled around him. But since he's in a corner there are only a few reporters standing directly next to Fox, then everyone else squeezed around them. and most of the room is filled. The first few people are reporters, behind them are a bunch of cameramen, and then behind them are all the othre reporters. Everyone is as mushed together as possible.

One reporter (not a nationally known name), who we will call First Reporter, is right up front and keeps asking question after question and isn't giving other reporters a chance to get any questions in. He asks three or four questions in a row. One other reporter gets a question in, then Fiirst Reporter goes back to trying to shout in another question. A few groans came from other media with First Reporter's third and fourth questions, until finally:

First reporter: You talk about the triangle....

Other reporter: (Starts to also ask a question)...

First reporter: Talk about the triangle... (Turns to First Reporter) EXCUSE ME-

Other reporter: (Speaking to first reporter) ENOUGH!

Some other reporter: You talk about a circus atmosphere, do...

First reporter: Speaking of circus atmospheres...

Lakers PR head John Black: Let him finish up and you can ask the next question, or I'm going to throw you both out.

(A female reporter gets a question in)

First reporter: (Starts to shout in another question but stops)

Female reporter gets another question in.

First reporter: (Yet again tries to get a question in but stops)

Another reporter: (Gets a question in)

First reporter: (Gets a question in)

Cameraman: (Standing slightly behind the first tiny circle of reporters who had been struggling to get his shot): (Speaking about First Reporter) TELL HIM TO BUCK DOWN, GET OUT OF MY SHOT!

First reporter: (To cameraman, who is from another network) You know what, that's your problem. That's your problem. That's your problem. That's your problem. GET OUT OF MY FACE. GET OUT OF MY FACE. GET OUT OF MY FACE.

Cameraman: YOUR HEAD WAS IN THE SHOT THE WHOLE TIME.

(Various reporters now tell them both to relax and calm down)

(Rick Fox continues to answer other questions)

The interview ended peacefully.

Anyway, to see Kobe's interview, which came about five minutes later, hit the InsideHoops.com front page.